'I'll challenge him!' Anas Sarwar launches fresh attack on Nigel Farage 'nonsense' after by-election victory: 'Enjoy the result'

Delivering his verdict on his election win, Sarwar told GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope: "We've got to listen to what the voters told us here, and ultimately they told us three things. One, they want rid of this SNP government that has done so much damage to our country over the past 18 years.

"That would be a feeling felt by many GB News viewers in Scotland, and the only way of getting rid of the SNP is by supporting Scottish Labour next year in the Scottish Parliament. Do not listen to the noise or the nonsense from Reform."

Criticising Reform, Sarwar continued: "Secondly, they have rejected the politics of Nigel Farage and Reform, and third, they have also made clear that they do want a UK Labour Government to go further and faster and demonstrably improving their lives, and I think that is a message we have heard loud and clear."

Asked by Christopher why people are starting to "turn to Reform" in Scotland, Sarwar dismissed Farage's party as a "protest vote" against the SNP.

He said: "I think there was always quite a significant Conservative Party vote in this constituency that clearly has transferred en masse to Reform. There will be people who are frustrated with both governments and therefore chose to vote Reform as the protest vote in this by-election.

"But next year, they've got a chance to change the government by supporting Scottish Labour. Some of them will have fallen for the frankly nonsense spouted by John Swinney where he pretended that this was a straight choice between the SNP and Reform, so people thought maybe they had to support Reform in order to beat the SNP. That is clearly proven not to be the case."

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Pressing Sarwar on the prospect of forming a "coalition" with Reform to oust the SNP, the Scottish Labour leader declared he does "not accept" that it would come to that.

He stated: "I don't accept that because the system here is first past the post seats and then you have the lowest seats. There is not a single constituency in the country that Reform can win, and in the vast majority of constituencies it is a straight choice between Labour and the SNP. So if you want to get rid of the SNP, you need to support Scottish Labour.

"And if we overwhelmingly win the constituencies, I believe that makes sure that we have the Scottish Labour Government and the SNP are removed from office."

Delivering a direct message to Farage, Sarwar told the Reform leader to "enjoy the result" and offered to "challenge him" on his views.

Sarwar said: "All I'd say is good morning Nigel, Eid Mubarak, and I hope you enjoy the result last night. Next year's election is not about Nigel Farage, as much as Nigel Farage wants to make it about him.

"So in advance of that election, if Nigel Farage wants to challenge me on my views, no problem, I'll challenge him or his views. But next year in the Scottish Parliament election, he can keep his nonsense elsewhere."

He concluded: "The choice is not between Nigel Farage and Scottish Labour, it is not between Nigel Farage and John Swinney, the choice next year is a simple one. Either it's going to be John Swinney as first minister, or it's going to be me.

"And if you want to end the rule of the nationalists, if you want to stop a third decade of them, if you want to end the risk of independence, if you want to stop SNP waste, if you want to end the wrong priorities as SNP government, you only have one choice to do it, and that is by supporting Scottish Labour."